Particulate material treatment system and conveyor belt mixing system

Abstract

A system and a process is provided for reducing the dust formation during the transfer of a particulate material on an endless conveyor belt. During transfer of the material on the conveyor belt the material is first sprayed with a wetting agent then by application of a plow the moving material is lifted from the bottom of the belt and is diverted towards the side edges of the belt thus creating additional exposed surfaces. The material is then again sprayed then contacted with baffles to redirect the material from the side edges towards the center of the belt thus creating additional exposed surfaces which are then again sprayed with a wetting agent to substantially eliminate dusting. The plow and baffle combination can also be used for uniformly mixing two or more particulate materials on a moving belt.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A material treatment system for significantly reducing dust formation during transfer of particulate material having a tendency of dusting, the system comprising: (a) an endless conveyor belt for conveying the particulate material;   (b) material spraying means located above the endless conveyor belt across the width of the belt, the spraying means being adapted to spray water or organic surface active agents onto the surface of the particulate material conveyed on the belt in order to wet the surface of the particulate material being conveyed; and   (c) material mixing means located above the surface of the belt and positioned past the spraying means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the mixing means including (i) a pair of skirts, positioned above the belt surface on each side of the belt to direct the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt so as to create a converging zone of the particulate material between the skirts;   (ii) at least one plow, having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, the at least one plow being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the at least one plow points in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow the at least one plow to lift and divert the wetted particulate material being conveyed on the belt towards side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted material surfaces,   (iii) two or more baffle means located above the belt surface on each side of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the at least one plow in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the baffle means being positioned at such an angle as to redirect the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt while exposing additional unwetted surfaces of the particulate material, and   (iv) a pair of plows, each plow having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the baffle means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the pair of plows being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the plows point in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow each plow to lift and divert wetted material being conveyed towards the side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted material surfaces.     
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 wherein the spraying means are positioned between the plow and baffle means. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1 wherein in the material treatment system the at least on plow, the pair of plows, and the baffle means are arranged in a staggered manner. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1 wherein the spraying means is a perforated spray bar. 
     
     
       5. A material treatment system for significantly reducing dust formation during transfer of particulate material having a tendency of dusting, the system comprising: (a) an endless conveyor belt for conveying the particulate material;   (b) material spraying means located above the endless conveyor belt across the width of the belt, the spraying means being adapted to spray water or organic surface active agents onto the surface of the particulate material conveyed on the belt in order to wet the surface of the particulate material being conveyed; and,   (c) a plurality of inverting means, spaced along the endless conveyor, each inverting means including material mixing means located above the surface of the belt and positioned past the spraying means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the mixing means including; (i) a pair of skirts, positioned above the belt surface on each side of the belt to direct the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt so as to create a converging zone of the particulate material between the skirts;   (ii) at least one plow, having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, the at least one plow being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the at least one plow points in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow the at least one plow to lift and divert the wetted material being conveyed on the belt towards side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted particulate material surfaces, and   (iii) two or more baffle means located above the belt surface on each side of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the plow in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the baffle means being positioned at such an angle as to redirect the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt while exposing additional unwetted surfaces of the particulate material.     
     
     
       6. A material treatment system for significantly reducing dust formation during transfer of particulate material having a tendency of dusting, the system comprising: (a) an endless conveyer belt for conveying the particulate material;   (b) material spraying means located above the endless conveyer belt across the width of the belt, the spraying means being adapted to spray water or organic surface active agents onto the surface of the particulate material conveyed on the belt in order to wet the surface of the particulate material being conveyed; and   (c) material mixing means located above the surface of the belt and positioned past the spraying means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the mixing means including (i) a pair of skirts, positioned above the belt surface on each side of the belt to direct the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt so as to create a converging zone of the particulate material between the skirts;   ii) at least one plow, having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, the at least one plow being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the at least one plow points in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow the at least one plow to lift and divert the wetted particulate material being conveyed on the belt towards side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted particulate material surfaces, and   (iii) two or more baffle means located above the belt surface on each side of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the at least one plow in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the baffle means being positioned on each side of the belt at such an angle as to redirect the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt while exposing additional unwetted surfaces of the particulate material.